Sustainability

The certificate program provides an interdisciplinary combination of courses in a liberal arts setting that will prepare students for careers in environmental and sustainability education, advocacy, and management. The Brundtland Commission (formerly, the World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) envisioned the concept: sustainable development is development that “meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” The logical components of a sustainable development strategy encompass environmental, economic, social, and political elements. Students attracted to the environmental and sustainability management certificate are expected to work for governments, private businesses, and special interest organizations that seek to sustain and improve both current and future conditions for life on earth. The interdisciplinary certificate program seeks to provide them with skills and perspectives that will serve the development of their own rewarding careers in this field. The strengths of the certificate program are: Offers a holistic interdisciplinary approach; Engages students in relevant civic engagement opportunities in the Southern Indiana - Louisville metropolitan region; Provides an alternative program for students interested in environmental issues but less interested in scientific occupations; Enhances the liberal arts experience with courses in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, education and business.

Student Learning Goals

Comprehend the three pillars of sustainability: Environmental, Social and Economic.

Explain their inter-relationships Environmental, Social and Economic sustainability.

Identify sustainability principles within their academic specialty.

Be able to begin to analyze local, national and global problems using sustainability principles

Be able to begin to apply principles of sustainability to propose solution local, national and global problems.

Document how sustainability principles have influenced personal and professional values.

University Residency Requirement

Students must complete 50% of the required credit hours for a certificate in residence at IU Southeast. Some departments may have additional Residency requirements.

Sustainability Residency Requirement

No additional residency requirement for the Sustainability Certificate.

Sustainability Certificate Requirements

All courses listed below require a grade of C or better.

Primary Courses - All courses required

Secondary Courses - Complete one course from each discipline

Environmental Science

Social Sustainability

Economic Sustainability

Specialization Area - Choose one area and complete a minimum of 8 credit hours in that area

Environmental Sustainability

Social Sustainability

Economic Sustainability

Internship - A maximum of 2 credits of Internship may be applied toward specialization area

Primary Courses (Complete each of the following)

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

PHYS-P

120

Energy & Technology

3

C

PHIL-P

237

Environmental Ethics

3

C

SOC-S

309

The Community

3

C

Secondary Courses - Environmental Science (Choose one)

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

EDUC-Q

450 & 550

Science Technology & Society in a Changing World

3

C

BIOL-L

200

Environmental Biology

3

C

Secondary Courses - Social Sustainability (Choose one)

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

SOC-S

305

Populations & Human Ecology

3

C

SOC-S

308

Global Society

3

C

Secondary Courses - Economic Sustainability (Choose one)

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

ECON-E

363

Environmental & Natural Resources

3

C

POLS-Y

376

International Political Economy

3

C

Specialization Area - Environmental Sustainability Courses

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

BIOL-L

303

Field Biology

3

C

BIOL-L

343

Applied Conservation Biology

5

C

BIOL-L &
BIOL-L

473 &
474

Ecology &
Ecology Lab

3/2

C

BIOL-L

579

Community Ecology

3

C

CHEM-C

303

Environmental Chemistry

3

C

CHEM-C

305

Environmental Chemistry Seminar

1

C

CHEM-C

318

Spectrochemistry & Separations

3

C

CHEM-C

333

Experimental Environmental Chemistry

2

C

GEOG-G

213

Introduction to Economic Geography

3

C

GEOG-G

307

Biogeography

3

C

GEOG-G

315

Environmental Conservation

3

C

GEOG-G

338

Geographic Information Science

3

C

GEOG-G

432

Current Issues in Environmental Conservation

3

C

GEOG-G

438

Advanced Geographic Information Systems

3

C

GEOG-G

439

Seminar in Geographic Information

3

C

GEOL-G

400

Energy: Sources and Needs

3

C

MICR-M

420

Environmental Microbiology

5-6

C

PHYS-P

310

Environmental Physics

3

C

Specialization Area - Social Sustainability Courses

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

REL-R

371

Religion, Ethics, and the Environment

3

C

POLS-Y

303

Formation of Public Policy

3

C

SOC-S

457

Topics in Psychology: Environmental Psychology & Sustainable Living

3

C

SOC-S

305

Populations & Human Ecology

3

C

SOC-S

308

Global Society

3

C

Specialization Area - Economic Sustainability Courses

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

ECON-E

363

Environmental & Natural Resources

3

C

POLS-Y

376

International Political Economy

3

C

SOC-S

360

Topics in Social Policy

3

C

SOC-S

419

Social Movements and Collective Action

3

C

SOC-S

403

Industry, Labor, & Community

3

C

Internship

Dept.

Course Number

Title

Credit Hours

Minimum Grade

COAS-S

399

Internship

1-2

C

Financial Aid

Students may not receive Financial Aid for the Sustainability Certificate.